I realize I'm about to step into the precarious role of defending Guns N Roses here. Nonetheless, here we go.

"The Spaghetti Incident?" was an album full of cover songs, and I think GNR put out the album knowing that it wasn't exactly going to be a chart-topper. The album still debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200, which isn't too terrible.

Yes. I can't believe I'm defending them either. I'm just saying it wasn't exactly a "flop."

If anyone remembers a feature on NPR called "The Annoying Music Show", a five-minute weeklybit hosted by the late Jim Nayder, it's a good bet some of these flopbusters would have turnedup there. (Another similar showcase: at one time, comedy host Dr. Demento had a bit called"The Audio Torture Chamber" that also showcased pukey platters.)

GreenAdder:I realize I'm about to step into the precarious role of defending Guns N Roses here. Nonetheless, here we go.

"The Spaghetti Incident?" was an album full of cover songs, and I think GNR put out the album knowing that it wasn't exactly going to be a chart-topper. The album still debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200, which isn't too terrible.

Yes. I can't believe I'm defending them either. I'm just saying it wasn't exactly a "flop."

"The Spaghetti Incident?" was an album full of cover songs, and I think GNR put out the album knowing that it wasn't exactly going to be a chart-topper. The album still debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200, which isn't too terrible.

Yes. I can't believe I'm defending them either. I'm just saying it wasn't exactly a "flop."

Not a flop, but it fulfilled a specific need for them as they were trying to figure out what was happening with the changes in the band, whether the public would still buy with that change, whether it would cause more change and whether the public would be interested at all considering they started off as being lumped in with the hair rockers....and in 1993 that genre was dead and done.

A good chunk of the list falls into two categories:-follow-ups to albums that were huge where the world had moved on-solo outings by individual artists from bands that were huge

I love the Jerry Cantrell albums but I will admit that they sound alot like Alice In Chains leftovers.

Tyrosine:GreenAdder: I realize I'm about to step into the precarious role of defending Guns N Roses here. Nonetheless, here we go.

"The Spaghetti Incident?" was an album full of cover songs, and I think GNR put out the album knowing that it wasn't exactly going to be a chart-topper. The album still debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200, which isn't too terrible.

Yes. I can't believe I'm defending them either. I'm just saying it wasn't exactly a "flop."

Compared to Use your Illusion I and II it was a total disaster.

It's not always about topping the chart with sales. Some bands put out stuff for fun, hoping to recover their costs and make some money, but not necessarily millions upon millions. Music history is full of 'pet projects'...

LeroyBourne:Good number 1. I also remember when that album came out and reading what Lars said and actually agreeing with him 'we just wanted to try something new.' Sorry Lars, your fans don't want that.

It's so bad I thought I was being trolled after listening to it for the first time.

Mikey1969:Tyrosine: GreenAdder: I realize I'm about to step into the precarious role of defending Guns N Roses here. Nonetheless, here we go.

"The Spaghetti Incident?" was an album full of cover songs, and I think GNR put out the album knowing that it wasn't exactly going to be a chart-topper. The album still debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200, which isn't too terrible.

Yes. I can't believe I'm defending them either. I'm just saying it wasn't exactly a "flop."

Compared to Use your Illusion I and II it was a total disaster.

It's not always about topping the chart with sales. Some bands put out stuff for fun, hoping to recover their costs and make some money, but not necessarily millions upon millions. Music history is full of 'pet projects'...

Sure, but given the state of G&R at the time the whole project had the feel of a quick release to get the record company off their back. As someone already mentioned, they were one of the few 80s metal bands to survive the onslaught of grunge and despite Axl's ego and assholery they had a lot of credibility at the time. People were expecting better. By itself Spaghetti Incident wasn't bad, but compared to the rest of their albums it was garbage.

milowitz:LeroyBourne: Good number 1. I also remember when that album came out and reading what Lars said and actually agreeing with him 'we just wanted to try something new.' Sorry Lars, your fans don't want that.

It's so bad I thought I was being trolled after listening to it for the first time.

I'm sure it is. I can't believe I'm white knighting Lars, but I think he meant you can't go into it thinking you're going to get something like Metallica or something like The Velvet Underground. It's something totally new and should be treated as such. It's almost like artists have to come up with a whole new id like John Lurie to Marvin Pontiac if they want to 'try something new'./yeah, i know. lars won't sleep with me, but i never dl'd their music, so maybe he will.

31: "The Burning Red", Machine Head. There are only a couple reasonably good songs on the whole album. Their attempt at NuMetal failed. They still wanted to play traditional thrash and/groove metal that defined them; it showed thru a bit, but ultimately, did not end up well. Thankfully they came back to their senses with "Through the Ashes of Empires" and "The Blackening".

30: Metallica/Lou Reed "Lulu" (lemon): I understand what they are trying to do. It was the same concept/thought as the three Loads (I include St. Anger with Load and Reload); they wanted to experiment with new sound and it did not go over well with their fans and the press.

I never got the hate for Lulu. Yeah, it's not Metallica. But it's got some seriously awesome tracks. Of course, I could also say the album has some seriously awe[some|ful] tracks....

I skipped The Spaghetti Incident due to Axl Rose being an a-hole. I'd gone to his concert that was supposed to start at 8. Didn't start til after midnight, my date and I had to be at work at 7 am the next day. Started a personal boycott of anything Axl that night.

Here's a list of some of my personal faves who crashed and burned hard popularity-wise (and with me too) with a subsequent release:

Pell Mell - Star City (Pretty much anything up to that album was riveting, but holy crap does that album suck. Pell Mell were never financially prosperous, but I can't imagine that album helped any.)

PiL - That What Is Not (They started to suck mightily with "9" with too many backup singers and such, but this album killed it for me and a lot of other people.)

808 State - Gorgeous (I'm a huge fan of their very early stuff, but this album was a big step down from Ex:el, and that's saying something because Ex:el was pretty uneven already, though it spawned some decent-selling singles.)

System of a Down - Mezmerize (Who the fark told Daron he was allowed to sing? Okay, it has a couple good tracks, but this is when a lot of people jumped off the good ship SoaD, including me.)

most of the list is just artists that had huge albums and the follow ups didn't do as well, but many weren't exactly flops and some even charted pretty high. The last Britney Spears albums didn't sell as well? Cry me a river

honestly i didn't even look to see which publication this came from...i just came into this thread to see what was going on...saw this list posted...immediately noticed that 3/4 or more of the list was british. i then assumed it must be a british publication.

It sold well, too. I think it was platinum. If I'm not mistaken (and I probably am) Ace and Pete way outsold their alleged betters' efforts.

If memory serves they all went "platinum" because they shipped a million copies each on the date they were released, and it seems back in the 70's, before Soundscan, that's how sales were judged. I do remember the cutout bins being filled with 99 cent copies of all the solo albums very shortly after they came out

desertgeek:Wellon Dowd: I own the Duffy album. Definitely not as good as her first offering.

How could you stand her voice?

/Seriously, that voice is terrible

Her voice is okay but limited and starts to squeek if she does something to challenge it. I haven't heard anything from her second (in fact, I wasn't even aware there was one until recently) but I'm guessing one reason it flopped is because whoever produced it couldn't keep her squeeking under control.

rickythepenguin:that weird trill she does with her voice was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay overdone one every song

hahahahahahahahaahahhah!

yeah, every godamn song she was doing it. a little goes a long way, short stack. Jimmy Page didn't take out the bow on every solo, clapton doesn't play slide on every song, Billy Jo Armstrong doesn't add a leading and ending breathy "H" to every syllable ....oh wait....bad example, that one.

mercator_psi:System of a Down - Mezmerize (Who the fark told Daron he was allowed to sing? Okay, it has a couple good tracks, but this is when a lot of people jumped off the good ship SoaD, including me.)

I had no problem with Mezmerize. Hypnotize, on the other hand, was like scrapings from the cutting room floor.